Focus is on maintaining my form: Mary Kom

Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) India’s five-time world champion female boxer M.C. Mary Kom said that she is fully prepared to take on the best pugilists at the London Olympic Games, the highest stage in the world.

Mary Kom, a mother of two, left for Liverpool, England, in the early hours of Saturday. She will be training under the supervision of British coach Charles Atkinson before moving to the Games Village in London around August 3.

“I am fully prepared. This has been my dream and I am training very hard to achieve the desired results. We have increased the intensity of our training, working on various aspects of the game. My focus is to maintain my form and physical fitness and be on the top of my game when the competition starts,” said Mary Kom.

Throughout her career, Mary Kom has fought in the light flyweight category (48kg). However, to adjust to the weight category of the Games she increased her weight to fit into the 51kg category.

“Increasing and maintaining the weight was not difficult. But it takes some getting used to the kind of competition and the opponents you face. Boxers have an advantage because of the height and in some cases are stronger and that is where the big adjustment comes,” said the Manipuri, who is the lone female Indian boxer at the Games.

Mary Kom said training under Atkinson has helped her gain tactical advantages.

“We have been working hard at various aspects of the game, including technique and tactics. I am bound to get some taller and heavier opponents in London. Keeping this in mind Charles has designed a training schedule where I train and spar with two male boxers, one southpaw and the other orthodox, to get used to both styles of boxing,” she added.